Dr Mariyam Mariya, Minister of Agriculture and Animal Welfare, has emphasised that advancing agriculture through research, in collaboration with young people, remains a key national objective. She made these remarks in connection with World Health Day.
For this year’s World Health Day, the World Health Organization (WHO) has adopted the theme “Together for Health. Stand with Science”. Under this campaign, countries worldwide are encouraged to work collaboratively, guided by scientific evidence, to protect the health of people, animals and the environment. The Minister also called upon Maldivian youth to take a more active role in the agricultural sector.
In a social media post marking the occasion, Minister Mariya stressed that building a healthy lifestyle depends on science-based approaches and adherence to empirical evidence. She highlighted the crucial role of young people, noting that their innovation and energy are vital to the development of agriculture and food production.
At present, agriculture contributes approximately 1.2 per cent to the national GDP. Although there are around 8,000 registered farmers in the Maldives, only 6.9 per cent are young people. These figures underline the urgent need to encourage greater youth participation in the sector.
According to World Bank statistics, over 21 per cent of imports to the Maldives consist of food items. With youth unemployment remaining above 16.1 per cent, the expansion of the agricultural sector presents an opportunity to create jobs for young people while strengthening national food security.
The WHO has called on governments, scientists and health professionals to make evidence-based decisions and to move forward in line with scientific knowledge.